Gate valve for hopper cars or the like

ABSTRACT

A gate valve for a material storage container such as a railway hopper car which has a discharge opening formed in the bottom area thereof. A pyramid shaped valve member is vertically movably mounted in the hopper car and has a lower end adapted to close the discharge opening of the hopper car when it is moved to its lowermost position. A vertically disposed shaft is rotatably secured to the upper end of the valve member and threadably extends upwardly through a support member and through the upper end of the car whereby rotation of the shaft will cause the valve member to be vertically moved. A modified form of the invention employs a hydraulic cylinder means for raising and lowering the valve member. A guide means is also provided to prevent undesirable lateral and rotational movement of the valve member with respect to the discharge opening.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Lloyd D. Barger Edina, Minn. [21] Appl. No. 830.819 [22} Filed June 5,1969 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [73] Assignee Constant Flow Company Edina, Minn. a partnership [54] GATE VALVE FOR HOPPER CARS OR THE LIKE 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 251/144, ZZZ/504.510: 105/280, 358. 360 [51] Int. Cl B6ld 7/26, B6ld 7/28 [50] Field ofSearch 251/144, 86, 62', 222/510, 504; 105/247, 248, 249, 280, 358, 360

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 635,442 10/1899 Merrill 251/144 Primary ExaminerWilliam R. Cline Attorney-Zarley, McKee & Thomte ABSTRACT: A gate valve for a material storage container such as a railway hopper car which has a discharge opening formed in the bottom area thereof. A pyramid shaped valve member is vertically movably mounted in the hopper car and has a lower end adapted to close the discharge opening of the hopper car when it is moved to its lowermost position. A vertically disposed shaft is rotatably secured to the upper end of the valve member and threadably extends upwardly through a support member and through the upper end of the car whereby rotation of the shaft will cause the valve member to be vertically moved. A modified form of the invention employs a hydraulic cylinder means for raising and lowering the valve member. A guide means is also provided to prevent undesirable lateral and rotational movement of the valve member with respect to the discharge opening.

GATE VALVE FOR HOPPER CARS OR THE LIKE Conventional railroad hopper cars are generally provided with a slide gate or the like which is adapted to close the hopper car discharge opening at the bottom thereof. The slide gates are usually manually moved by a rack and pinion gear arrangement which requires that the person crawl beneath the hopper car to operate the same. The rack and pinion gear arrangement is exposed to the atmosphere and may become jammed due to snow, sleet, ice, rocks and cinders becoming lodged thereon. It is also usually necessary to use expensive tools to open the slide gates. Further, the material material flowing from the hopper car tends to bridge due to the material first flowing from the hopper car tends to bridge due to the material first flowing from one side of the car as the slide gate is opened. The bridging may be eliminated only by expensive vibrators attached to the car or by pounding on the cars with sledges or the like.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a gate valve for hopper cars or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars wherein all of the parts thereof are enclosed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper which permits the vale to be opened from above the car.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars wherein the discharge opening of the hopper car is tightly sealed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars which prevents the material from bridging as the same is being discharged from the car.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars which is easily operated and which permits precise control of the material flow.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars having means thereon for preventing a vacuum from forming in the interior of the hopper.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars which prevents contamination of the interior of the hopper.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars which creates a Venturi so as to increase the material flow.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars wherein the weight of the material in the hopper aids in sealing the gate valve on its seat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate valve for hopper cars which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth. specifically pointed out in the claims, and illus trated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is an end view of a hopper having one form of the gate valve mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the gate valve of FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

F56. -1 is a partial end view illustrating a modified form of the gate valve mounted in a hopper;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the gate valve of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view as would be seen along lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

The gate valve illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 while the modified form of the gate valve seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is generally designated by the reference numeral 12. The numeral 14 refers generally to a hopper such as commonly found on railroad hopper cars or the like and including an interior I6,

upper end 18 and a tapered lower end 20 having a discharge opening 22 formed therein. Strap 24 is secured to opposite sides of the hopper .14 by any convenient means such as bolts or the like and has an internally threaded sleeve 26 secured thereto by welding or the like. A threaded shaft 28 is threadably received by the sleeve 26 and has a hand wheel 30 secured to its upper end. The lower end of shaft 28 is rotatably connected to valve member 32 by means of ball 34 being received in the socket 36 which is secured to the valve member 32.

Valve member 32 is substantially pyramidal in shape and includes sides 38, 40, 42 and 44. Valve member 32 has a bottom 46 closing the lower end thereof as best illustrated in FIG. 3. As seen in FIG. 3, a pair of spaced apart tubes 48 and 50 are provided in the interior of the valve member 32 and are mounted on the bottom 46 so as to register with openings formed therein. Strap 52 is securedto the lower end of the hopper I4 by bolts or the like and extends across the discharge opening 22 below the valve member 32. Strap 52 has a pair of guide rods 54 and 56 which are secured by any convenient means and which extend upwardly thereto as illustrated in FIG. 2. Guide rods 54 and 56 are slidably received by the tubes 48 and 50 to prevent valve 32 from becoming laterally or rotationally displaced with respect to the discharge opening 22 as the valve member 32 is raised and lowered by the rotational operation of the shaft 28. As seen in FIG. I, shaft 28 extends upwardly through ariaccess opening 58 in the upper end of hopper 14. A hatch cover 60 is pivotally secured to the top of hopper l4 and is pivotal from the position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. I to the position illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 1 to provide access to the hand wheel 30 at times and to seal the access opening 58 at other times.

In operation, the hopper 14 would normally be filled with material for transportation thereof and the gate valve 10 would normally be in its lowered position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. I so that valve member 32 seals the discharge opening 22. The weight of the material on the valve member 32 aids in maintaining the sealed condition of the discharge opening due to the weight of the material bearing downwardly against the sides of the valve member 32. When the material is being transported, the hatch cover 60 would normally be closed and would seal the access opening 58 so as to prevent contamination of the material in the-hopper 14. It can be seen that all of the operating components of the gate valve 10 are enclosed which prevents foreign material such as rocks, snow, sleet, etc. from jamming or clogging the same. When it is desired to empty the material from the hopper 14, it is simply necessary to pivot the hatch cover 60 to the position illus trated by broken lines in FIG. I so as to provide access to the hand wheel 30. Rotational movement of the hand wheel 30 causes shaft 28 to be raised which causes valve member 32 to be raised from the position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated by broken lines in FIG. I as to permit the material to flow downwardly through the discharge opening 22. Guide rods 54 and 56 and their relationship with tubes 48 and 50 respectively ensures that the valve member 32 will not be permitted to rotate during the operation of the gate valve to ensure that the valve member 32 will be maintained in position so as to again seal the discharge opening 22 upon the subsequent lowering thereof. The material flowing over the valve member 32 as it is discharging from the discharge opening 22 acts as a Venturi and creates a partial vacuum to help and enhance the flow of material from the opening 22. As the valve member 32 is raised to open the discharge opening 22, the pyramid shape of the valve member 32 breaks up and loosens the material that has possibly bridged therearound so that an even flow of material will flow from the four sides of the car which prevents separation of the fine particles from the larger particles. The amount of material flowing from discharge opening 22 is easily controlled through the operation of the hand wheel 30 and it can be appreciated that the hand wheel 30 and its location with respect to the hopper l4 eliminates the necessity of the person crawling beneath the hopper 14 for any reason whatsoever. When the material has been discharged from the hopper 14, the hand wheel 30 is rotated in a rotational direction so as to lower the valve member 32 downwardly into its seating engagement with respect to the discharge opening 22. It can be appreciated that the valve member 32 must be lowered so as to permit the hatch cover 60 to be closed which eliminates the car from being transferred with the gate open which would permit the contamination of the interior of the hopper 14. It should also be noted that access opening 58 will be in communication with the atmosphere when the valve member 32 is raised to prevent a vacuum from occurring within the hopper which could cause structural damage to the hopper if such access opening was not provided.

In conclusion. it can be seenthat a unique gate valve has been provided which efficiently functions with a minimum amount of maintenance problems being encountered. The gate valve 10 is efficient in operation and accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

The gate valve 12 of FIGS. 4, and 6 functions substantially identical to the gate valve of FIGS. l-3 with the only difference being in the manner of raising and lowering the same. As seen in FIG. 6, valve member 62 has a hydraulic cylinder 64 secured to the interior thereof. Cylinder 64 may be powered by either hydraulic fluid or air and has a threaded rod 66 slidably extending from the lower end thereof. Rod 66 is secured to strap 68 by nuts 70 and 72. Strap 68 is secured to the tapered lower end 74 of the hopper 76 by any convenient means such as bolts or the like so as to extend across the discharge opening 78 formed in the hopper 76. Cylinder 64 is connected to a suitable control 80 to permit the operation of the same. Hopper 76 is provided with a hatch cover 82 at the upper end thereof which may be opened to permit communication of the interior of the hopper when the material is being discharged therefrom to prevent a vacuum from forming in the interior thereof, which could cause structural damage to the hopper. When it is desired to open the gate valve 12, it is simply necessary to operate the control 80 so as to cause the slidable extension of the rod 66 from the cylinder 64 which causes the valve member 62 to be raised with respect to the strap 68 to open the discharge opening 78. If desired, rod 66 may be keyed with respect to the cylinder 64 so as to prevent the valve member 62 from rotating with respect to the discharge opening 78. The gate valve 12 accomplishes all of the objectives of the gate valve 10 with the only difference being in the manner in raising and lower the valve member with respect to the discharge opening 78.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the gate valves 10 and 12 accomplish at least all of their stated objectives.

lclaim:

l. A gate valve for vertical disposed material storage container having upper and lower ends and a discharge opening formed in the lower end thereof, comprising:

a valve member of substantially pyramidal shape vertically movably mounted in the storage container,

said valve member having a lower end portion adapted to close the discharge opening when it is in its lowered position with respect to the storage container; and

drive means connected to said valve member for vertically moving it with respect to said storage container.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said drive means is a vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder means positioned inside of said valve member and being connnected at its upper end to said valve ,member, a support member secured to the storage container at the lower end thereof and extending across the discharge opening, said hydraulic cylinder means being connected at its lower end to said support member.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said support member has guide means thereon and extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage said valve member to-prevent lateral and rotational displacement of the valve member with respect to the discharge opening 4. The structure 0 claim 1 wherein said drive means IS a vertically disposed shaft rotatably connected at its lower end to the upper end of said valve member a support member operatively secured to the storage container and threadably receiving said shaft extending therethrough, the upper end of said shaft extending above the upper end of the storage container.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said shaft has a hand wheel connected to its upper end and wherein the storage container has a pivotal hatch cover adapted to extend over and enclose the hand wheel when said valve member isclosing the discharge opening.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein a support member is secured to the storage container at the lower end thereof and extends across the discharge opening, said valve member and said support member having guide means thereon for preventing lateral and rotational displacement of the valve member with respect to the discharge opening.

7. The structure of claim 4 wherein said shaft has a ball means at its lower end, said ball means being rotatably received by a pocket at the upper end of said valve member.

8. A gate valve for a vertically disposed material storage container having upper and lower ends and a discharge opening formed in the lower end thereof, comprising:

a valve member vertically movably mounted in the storage container, said valve member having a lower end portion adapted to close the discharge opening when it is in its lowered position with respect to the storage container;

drive means connected to said valve member for vertically moving it with respect to said storage container; and

said drive means being a vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder means positioned inside of said valve member and being connected at its upper end to said valve member, a support member secured to the storage container at the lower end thereof and extending across the discharge opening, said hydraulic cylinder means being connected at its lower end to said support member. 

1. A gate valve for vertical disposed material storage container having upper and lower ends and a discharge opening formed in the lower end thereof, comprising: a valve member of substantially pyramidal shape vertically movably mounted in the storage container, said valve member having a lower end portion adapted to close the discharge opening when it is in its lowered position with respect to the storage container; and drive means connected to said valve member for vertically moving it with respect to said storage container.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said drive means is a vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder means positioned inside of said valve member and being connnected at its upper end to said valve member, a support member secured to the storage container at the lower end thereof and extending across the discharge opening, said hydraulic cylinder means being connected at its lower end to said support member.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said support member has guide means thereon and extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage said valve member to prevent lateral and rotational displacement of the valve member with respect to the discharge opening.
 4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said drive means is a vertically disposed shaft rotatably connected at its lower end to the upper end of said valve member, a support member operatively secured to the storage container and threadably receiving said shaft extending therethrough, the upper end of said shaft extending above the upper end of the storage container.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said shaft has a hand wheel connected to its upper end and wherein the storage container has a pivotal hatch cover adapted to extend over and enclose the hand wheel when said valve member is closing the discharge opening.
 6. The structure of claim 4 wherein a support member is secured to the storage container at the lower end thereof and extends across the discharge opening, said valve member and said support member having guide means thereon for preventing lateral and rotational displacement of the valve member with respect to the discharge opening.
 7. The structure of claim 4 wherein said shaft has a ball means at its lower end, said ball means being rotatably received by a pocket at the upper end of said valve member.
 8. A gate valve for a vertically disposed material storage container having upper and lower ends and a discharge opening formed in the lower end thereof, comprising: a valve member vertically movably mounted in the storage container, said valve member having a lower end portion adapted to close the discharge opening when it is in its lowered position with respect to the storage container; drive means connected to said valve member for vertically moving it with respect to said storage container; and said drive means being a vertically disposed hydraulic cylinder means positioned inside of said valve member and being connected at its upper end to said valve member, a support member secured to the storage container at the lower end thereof and extending across the discharge opening, said hydraulic cylinder means being connected at its lower end to said support member. 